The Peanuts Gang: 30 years later
by ChrstnWrtr
Summary: The Peanuts Gang have a reunion after 30+ years of friendship. This fanfic contains STRONG Christian content and is rated PG for some depressing moments.


The Peanuts Gang: 30 years later  
  
By: Shannon  
  
(I do not own the characters to the fanfic. This is my impression of the Peanuts Gang 30 years later, after their youth).  
  
A room was reserved at the local Hilton. It was beautifully decorated with streamers, flowers, etc. A sign over the door of the room read REUNION. Also in the room was a buffet table loaded with food and drink.   
  
An average-sized man entered the room wearing some casual evening clothes. He had no hair on his head, except for one little hair hanging over his forehead. His khaki-colored DOCKERS were neatly pressed and clean. His long-sleeved polo shirt was also neatly pressed and clean. He sat at a table and waited for more guests to arrive.   
  
"All these years," the man said to himself. "I wish I was 30 years younger."  
  
The man was named Charlie Brown. Thirty years ago, he played with his friends and his dog, Snoopy. Snoopy was long gone now, but Charlie Brown still had old pictures of him stored away in an album in his closet. He never married the "little red-haired girl" he went to school with. It turned out that she moved to a different state once Charlie Brown and the gang moved on to high school. Peggy Jean, a one-time "girlfriend," also moved to a different state.  
  
During college, he met another "red haired girl" named Joanna. They married after Charlie Brown got his B.A. from UCLA. Now, an M.A. and a Ph.D later, Charlie Brown was teaching English at a local Bible/Christian university near his home. His two children, twins Charles Jr. and Laura, were a blessing to him.   
  
About five minutes later, another man came in the door. He was a little shorter than Charlie Brown. He had dark brown hair and brown eyes and a moustache to match. He wore a blackish-grey suit and pants with a red tie and white blouse. He exchanged glances with Charlie Brown and approached him to shake hands and hug.   
  
That other man was Linus Van Pelt. He and Charlie Brown attended UCLA together. Upon graduation, Linus went into the seminary, where he became ordained. Now, he was married to a pastor's daughter with two girls, Martha and Mary, and one son, John. He was now a minister at a local church.   
  
"I know it hasn't been exactly 30 years, since we've seen each other, Charlie Brown," said Linus. "But it's good to reflect back on the good old days."  
  
"Yeah," said Charlie Brown. "Remember my sixteenth birthday party?"  
  
"That was so funny!" said Linus laughing. "Do you remember the look on your dad's face when he saw the big, huge dent in the rear bumper?"  
  
"I was trying to forget it," said Charlie Brown. "Because I could remember how red my dad's face was when he saw that I bumped his new car into the garage door."  
  
  
Just then, Lucy, Linus' sister came in the door. She looked nice. She wore a brown, casual evening dress and carried her leather purse on her shoulder.  
  
"Mind if I join the conversation?" asked Lucy Van Pelt-Smith?   
  
"Why not, go ahead," said Charlie Brown.  
  
Lucy had changed. After she got her M.A., she married her college sweetheart and they had a daughter, Jill, and a son, Eddie. She then went back to school to get her Ph.D and now she practiced clinical psychology down the street from the Hilton.   
  
"You guys talking about the time Charlie Brown wasted his old man's car by crashing it into the garage door?"  
  
"Guys, don't bring that up," said Charlie Brown. "I still can't forgive myself. Besides, it wasn't on purpose and I was 16! I was new to driving!"  
  
"Charlie Brown, I suggest you don't beat yourself over the head with it," said Lucy. "Just forget about it. It's part of the past, ok? Now, if you want to talk more about your problems, here's my card. It has my email, phone number, cell, pager and you can contact me anytime and leave a message on my voice mail."  
  
"Voice mail?" said Linus. "Heck, we were lucky to even get to talk to someone 30 years ago. There was no such thing as cell phones, answering machines, or even COMPUTERS!"  
  
Suddenly, a blonde-haired man came in, wearing casual-dress attire. His name was Schroeder. He had a rather forlorn look on his face when he came in.  
  
"Schroeder!" yelled Linus. "Good to see you."  
  
"Nice to see you too," said Schroeder quietly as he helped himself to a cup of blackberry merlot at the buffet table. He sat down at the table with Charlie Brown, Linus, and Lucy.  
  
"What's wrong, Schroeder?" asked Charlie Brown.   
  
Schroeder tried to hold back his tears. "Well, everyone coming is married, but..."  
  
"But what, Linus?" asked Lucy.  
  
"But, well, my wife..."   
  
"What about her?" asked Charlie Brown. "She's a very nice lady. She baby-sat for my children when Joanna and I went for our second honeymoon six months ago."  
  
"She died last week."  
  
"She died?" said Charlie Brown, shocked.  
  
"Breast cancer," said Schroeder. He couldn't hold it in any longer. He finally broke down, his face in his hands.   
  
"She didn't even look sick six months ago," said Linus. "Besides, we thought it was in remission."  
  
"That's what we both thought," said Schroeder, wiping his tears. "Until Robyn found a lump on her breast the day after she was done watching Charlie Jr. and Laura. We went to the doctor that night. The doctor told us that she would not live to see the end of the year. Now, I canceled two piano concert tours so I can adjust to the fact that she passed away. My 12-year old daughter, Katie, took it well but my 5-year-old son Andrew didn't. He doesn't understand the concept of death. He still thinks his mommy is "asleep for a very long time." Thank goodness Robyn is with God now. No more pain. No more chemo."  
  
"Well, if you want to talk more about it, Schroeder," said Lucy. "Here's my card. It has my number, pager..."  
  
"Lucy," said Linus. "That is not appropriate at this time. Schroeder, if it hurt that much to come here, you didn't have to."  
  
"But I was looking forward to it for months," Schroeder replied. He finished the last of the blackberry merlot and went to the buffet to get a glass of ice water.  
  
Four more guests came into the room. Patricia Reinhardt a.k.a Peppermint Patty, Marcie, Franklin, and Sally.   
  
"Hey guys," said Peppermint Patty! "We're here!"  
  
Peppermint Patty managed to be the first female football player at USC, where she got her scholarship. Now she played for a professional female football league. Her husband was one of the owners of the team. Her two daughters, Julia and Annie, both played pop warner football.   
  
Marcie also went to USC as a pre-med major. Now she has her own family practice nearby. She married a man she met at a church singles picnic (who wanted to be a surgeon) and they had one child, a son named Jake. Her husband is a surgeon at a local hospital.  
  
Franklin, who had attended Pepperdine after high school, was an assistant pastor at the church where Linus served as minister. He had also gone into the seminary. He married his high school sweetheart, Liz. They have a set of triplets: Susan, Marie, and Franklin Jr., with another son along the way.  
  
Sally had gone to UCLA, like her brother, but then went to UC Berkeley law school. She became a lawyer and now practices law locally with her husband. They have one child, a daughter named Elise.  
  
"Well, now that everyone's here," said Linus. "Let's pray and ask..."  
  
"I don't mean to interrupt Linus," said Peppermint Patty. "But Violet and Frieda couldn't make it tonight. They both live out of state."  
  
"Oh yeah, I remember," said Charlie Brown. "They both married sailors and they aren't living out of state, they're living out of the country."  
  
"Yeah," said Franklin. "Violet is living with her husband on a naval base in Greece and Frieda is living with her husband on a naval base in Thailand."  
  
"Well, as I was saying," said Linus. "Let us pray and ask God's blessing on tonight's dinner. Lucy, why don't you lead in prayer?"  
  
Lucy cleared her throat as they all held hands. "Oh most Gracious Heavenly Father, as we gather here before You. Thanks for 30+ years of wonderful friendship and love. Thank you for the dinner that You have provided for us, Lord God and we are just thankful for what You have done in our lives. We also pray for Schroeder's family as they morn for the loss of his dear, beloved wife, Robyn. We are happy that she is with You now, for eternity. In the sweet and Holy name of Jesus Christ, AMEN!"  
  
"Uh, oh, I forgot to tithe last week," said Charlie Brown.   
  
"It's all right," said Linus. "You can give a little more this Sunday. Oh, and Lucy, you have donut and coffee duty after the 8:30 service."  
  
"I thought your wife was doing that," said Lucy.  
  
"She's going to a women's retreat with a friend of hers from another church and they won't be back till Monday afternoon. You've got to do it."  
  
"Oh all right," said Lucy.  
  
"Oh don't sulk. It's just for 15 minutes."  
  
  
The gang headed for the buffet and their plates were piled high with salads, roast chicken, chicken cordon bleu, etc. They all gave a toast to their 30+ years of friendship with root beer, Snoopy's favorite drink.   
  
"I thought we should do this in Snoopy's honor," said Charlie Brown. "That was his favorite thing to drink. I wanted to do a red wine toast but I thought the root beer thing was more appropriate."  
  
"You're still wishy-washy, Charlie Brown," said Lucy. "But we love you anyway."  
  
Schroeder wiped away his tears. "Thank you for your support," said Schroeder. "I feel much better now."  
  
"Will there be a funeral?" asked Franklin.  
  
"Yes," said Schroeder. "It's Saturday morning and I do believe Linus will be giving the funeral service." He turned to Linus.  
  
"Yes, I will," said Linus. "Robyn was a wonderful lady."  
  
"She always was," said Schroeder. "She always was."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
